First Utility Super League XIX - Round 15 Review

Round 15 of First Utility Super League XIX saw new leaders as Warrington eased past Leeds Rhinos which gave St Helens the chance they took to take top spot.

At the other end of the table build as relegation four pointer Bradford Bulls got the better of fellow strugglers Wakefield Wildcats to give themselves a chance of avoiding the dreaded drop.

So below we look at how all the games went:-

Huddersfield Giants 31

Tries: Murphy, Lunt, Wardle 2, McGillvary
Goals: Brough 5
Drop Goal: Brough

Wigan Warriors 22

Tries: O'Loughlin, Bowen, Manfredi, Burgess
Goals: Smith 3

Att: 6,106

Huddersfield Giants came from behind to defeat Wigan Warriors in a tough game at the John Smith's Stadium.

After been flogged at Saints last Friday night, the Giants coach Paul Anderson needed a response as his side entertained inform Wigan Warriors who welcomed back influential Skipper Sean O'Loughlin and Matty Bowen

O'Loughlin, making just his sixth appearance of the year, opened the scoring in the 1 2 minute when he took a smart offload from teenager Dom Manfredi to touchdown.

On Bowen added a second seven minutes later as Wigan took firm control of the game. Matty Smith converting both tries to make it 12-0.

Needing to score next, the Giants delivered when Danny Brough picked out Aaron Murphy with a long floating pass.

This gave Huddersfield the confidence as they turned the game round with two unanswered tries. After getting a penalty close to the line the pressure told and hooker Shaun Lunt crashed over.

Brough superbly sent Joe Wardle on a midfield break, the centre was held short and two plays later, Wardle got his reward by scoring from close range. Brough kicked his third goal to make it 18-12 to the hosts at the break.

Huddersfield continued thier dominance early into the second half when a superb one-handed offload by England back rower Brett Ferres released Wardle to score his second touchdown of the night.

Brough then made it 25-12 by adding a drop goal with just over twenty minutes left in the game. Manfredi collected a high kick from smith to give the Warriors some home.

However, when Joe Burgess found space on the left and opted to kick the ball was swooped on by Jermaine McGillvary who raced away to score the match winning try.

Burgess did cross in the final moments but it was only a consolation as the Giants claimed the points in a valuable win.

St Helens 32

Tries: Wellens 2, Soliola, Hohaia, Wheeler
Goals: Walsh 6

Salford Red Devils 12

Tries: Evalds, Hock
Goals: Smith 2

Att: 10,391

St Helens moved to the summit of the First Utility Super League by easing past Salford Red Devils at Langtree Park.

Salford were looking to claim only thier second win in eight games as they faced the daunting task of trying to beat St Helens in thier own backyard.

It took eighteen minutes for the deadlock to be broken and it came when Salford full-back Greg Eden fumbled a Luke Walsh kick close to his own line and on hand was the veteran Paul Wellens to crash over the line.

Mark Flanagan set the play up as Sia Soliola double Saints advantage and just before the interval it was 16-0 when Lance Hohaia finished off a break by Jon Wilkin.

After getting a word from Head Coach Iestyn Harris in the sheds at half time, the Red Devils made a good start to the second period and got back on terms when Niall Evalds pounced on a Rangi Chase kick.

Tim Smith added the extras but any thoughts of a Salford fightback were short lived as Wellens chipped forward for Gary Wheeler to score the hosts fourth try of the night.

Walsh then added two penalty goals to make it 26-6 before Wellens finished off a smart move for his second touchdown as St Helens ended any hope of a Salford win.

The visitors had the final say when a good piece of passing play was finished off by Gareth Hock. Smith added the goal but once again it was not the Red Devils night.

So with Warrington defeating Leeds Rhinos and Saints claiming the points, the home side went back to the top of the table.

Warrington Wolves 24

Tries: Bridge 2, Myler, J. Monaghan
Goals: Bridge 4

Leeds Rhinos 6

Tries: Leuluai
Goals: Sinfield

Att: 10,312

Warrington Wolves dumped Leeds Rhinos off top spot with a commanding win at the H.J. Stadium.

With suspension and injury, the Wolves had play without Ben Westwood and Trent Waterhouse against a Leeds side that narrowly defeated them at Headingley in Round 2.

The opening quarter was a tight affair as both sided followed each other set for set. Warrington finally opened the scoring when Michael Monaghan's inside ball found Chris Bridge, who dummied his way to the line before converting his own try.

Two tries in the final ten minutes of the first half left the hosts in total control as they led 18-0 at the break. Richard Myler made a break through the middle and in support was England Prop Chris Hill who strolled to the line. Once again Bridge made no mistake with extras.

Moments later try number three arrive when Bridge finished off a flowing passing movement and it could have been even better had Carl Ablett not denied Joel Monaghan with a brilliant last-ditch cover tackle.

It was more of the same for the dangerous Wolves after the resumption when once again another superb last ditch tackle on Rhys Evans by Zak Hardaker kept hosts out.

Leeds were cut open again but the try was ruled out for a knock-on by Ben Evans. Bridge then made it 20-0 before the Rhinos finally got on the scoreboard when good work by Jamie Peacock in keeping the ball alive led to fellow Prop Kylie Leuluai crashing over the line. Kevin Sinfield kicked the goal.

That was as good as it got for the visitors as Joel Monaghan took a cut pass by Mickey Higham to confirm a comprehensive win for Warrington as they extended thier winning run to four games.

Widnes Vikings 26

Tries: Hanbury, White, Marsh, Owens, Gilmore
Goals: Tickle 3

Catalan Dragons 26

Tries: Millard, Duport, Escare, Pryce, Oldfield
Goals: Bosc 3

Att: 4,745

Widnes left it late to claim a share of the spoils against Catalan Dragons in a high scoring contest at the Select Security Stadium.

The Dragons, who have struggled at late on the road, made the better start when Leon Pryce ‘ towering kick caused havoc in the Widnes defence and Daryl Millard picked up the loose ball to open the scoring.

Millard soon made a superb break and in support was Vincent Duport to make it 10-0 to the French visitors.

But Widnes cleared thier head and hit back midway through the first half when young halfback Tom Gilmore set the position up for Rhys Hanbury to score.

Willie Isa made the break which ended with Lloyd White scoring the hosts second try in the corner to level things up and just before the interval Stefan Marsh took Gilmore's pass to squeeze over as the hosts led 16-10.

Just eight minutes into the second half Morgan Escare got the visitors back on terms by scampering over the line. Hanbury then lost the ball while trying to clear his own line and Catalan took full advantage as Pryce touched down. Bosc landed the touchline conversion to make it 22-16.

Now in full control the Dragons added a third try in eight minutes with Oldfield went over in the corner from Pryce's kick.

Kevin Brown got the Vikings back into the game on the hour mark when his long pass put Jack Owens over in the corner to cut the deficit to 26-22.

However, in a dramatic finish Gilmore went over the line on 77 minutes leaving Danny Tickle the task of levelling things up, which he did.

There was still time for both sides to miss drop goals as they game ended in a draw.

London Broncos 12

Tries: Greenwood, Caton-Brown
Goals: Drinkwater 2

Hull FC 50

Tries: Ellis, Lancaster 2, Westerman 2, Shaul, Houghton, Rankin, Talanoa
Goals: Miller 3, Rankin 4

Att: 1,135

Hull FC finally got the win they needed as they demolished London Broncos at The Hive.

After dropping down the table ,Hull were desperate for the win as they took on the Broncos who were looking for thier first win this year.

And it was the Londoners who struck first as James Greenwood charged down Jordan Rankin's clearing kick to open the scoring on 7 minutes.

Hull got back on terms when Nesiasi Mataitonga spilled the ball and on hand was Gareth Ellis to score a simple try.

Kirk Yeaman then sent teenager Callum Lancaster over the line as he scored his first try for the Black and White.

Try number three soon arrive when Joe Westerman stepped inside and just before the break Jamie Shaul raced in at the corner to make it 22-6.

Things went from bad to worse for the Broncos, with hooker Scott Moore being sent off for a high tackle on Lancaster.

The Londoners made a good start to the second half and cut the deficit when Mason Caton-Brown powered over after a short pass from George Griffin on 47 minutes.

Hull dominated the final quarter and put London to the sword as they scored five unanswered tries. Liam Watts offloaded for Danny Houghton to cruise over for the first and Westerman added his second when he shrugged off weak Broncos tackling to stride over.

Lancaster also made it a double and there was still time for Jordan Rankin and Fetuli Talanoa to cross as The Black and White ran out empathic winners as the poor Londoners still remain winless.

Bradford Bulls 20

Tries: Purtell 2, Olbison
Goals: Gale 4

Wakefield Wildcats 12

Tries: Ryan 2
Goals: Sammut

Att: 6,249

Bradford Bulls claimed a vital win over fellow strugglers Wakefield Wildcats at the Provident Stadium Odsal.

Bradford welcomed back captain Matt Diskin, who missed the defeat at Catalans, centre Matty Blythe and second-rower Dale Ferguson, who had both not played since Easter and front-rowers Jamal Fakir and Chev Walker.

Wakefield included Lee Gilmour and Chris Riley but the Bulls would draw first blood as a long final pass from Luke Gale put Adrian Purtell in at the corner after 11 minutes.

Gale, who started to run the show for Bradford, then setup Tom Olbison to score next to the posts as the lead was doubled.

Olbison then turned provider as on the thirty minute mark is good play led to Purtell added his second as the hosts took firm control of the game leading 16-0 at Half Time.

Wakefield began the second half with intent and they got back into the contest when good team work led to Matt Ryan going over the whitewash. Ex Bull Jarrod Sammut added the extras as the gap was down to 10 points.

Richard Moore was then given a spell in the Sin-bin after a mass brawl broke out when he put a big hit on Elliot Kear. The Bulls made the extra man count when Gale added a penalty goal.

On 74 minutes Gale sealed matters with another penalty after Wakefield were pulled up for interference.

Ryan claimed a consolation for the visitors y two minutes from time as Bradford held d on for valuable two points which leaves them just six points behind thier opponents who stay just outside the relegation zone.

Castleford Tigers 54

Tries: Channing 2, Dorn 3, Millington, Dixon, Ellis, Webster, Huby, Clare
Goals: Sneyd 5

Hull KR 12

Tries: Burns, Ulugia
Goals: Burns 2

Att: 7,196

Castleford Tigers kept the pressure on the top two with an 11 try romp over Hull KR at the Mend-A-Hose Jungle.

Daryl Powell's men have been the success story of 2015 and effectively ended any hopes for Rovers at the break as they ran in six tries to lead 28-0.

It took Castleford just four minutes to open the scoring as Michael Channing took a pass from Luke Dorn to touchdown.

Dorn was next on the scoresheet after taking a Weller Hauraki offload and then Kirk Dixon palmed back Marc Sneyd's kick for Grant Millington to cross.

Dixon went over at the corner on the 30 minute mark and there was still time for Channing and Dorn to score thier second tries of the game.

In the early stages of the second half, Travis Burns went over next to the posts as the visitors reduced the gap by six points but this was short lived as Jamie Ellis finished off a superb move then Dorn raced 70 meters to complete his hat-tick.

Rovers suffered more misery when ex Dragons prop Michael Weyman was sent off for dissent and the extra man counted as Jake Webster score against his former club.

Daryl Clark surged forward and in support was Craig Huby as the Tigers broke the fifty point's barrier.

Clare evaded a diving tackle by Ade Gardner to cross in the corner before Wayne Ulugia intercepted a pass from Sneyd to round off the scoring for Rovers but they were never in the contest.

First Utility Super League Ladder After Round 15